Machine for the automatic insertion of slot insulations or armatures of electrical machines

ABSTRACT

A machine for the automatic insertion of prefabricated slot insulations or cover caps or armature insulations into stators or armatures of electrical machines which comprises at least two receivers holding a workpiece to be equipped, the receivers being rotatable in stepwise fashion as part of an index plate, and arranged diametrically on a movable circular indexing table and at the same radial distance from its axis of rotation. One of the receivers with said workpiece are disposed directly below the insertion tool, and the insulating strips, to be inserted, are insertable as individual pieces in synchronism with the index plate by the tool.

United States Patent i 91 'Ri st 1m 3,848,317 Nov. 19, 1974 [76] Inventor: Otto Rist, Schwanenstrasse 34, 798

Ravensburg, Germany 22 Filed: o.4,1973

21 Appl.No.:403,626

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Primary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager Attorney, Agent, 0r Firm-Ernest G. Montague; Karl F. Ross; Herbert Dubno 57 ABSTRACT A machine for the automatic insertion of prefabricated slot insulations or'cover caps or armature insulations into stators or armatures of electrical machines which comprises at least two receivers holding a workpiece to be equipped, the receivers being rotatable in stepwise fashion as part of an index plate, and arranged diametrically on-a movable circular indexing table and at the same radial distance from its axis of rotation. One of the receivers with said workpiece are disposed directly below the insertion tool, and the insulating strips, to be inserted, are insertable as individual pieces in synchronism with the index plate by the tool.

4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures MACHINE FOR THE AUTOMATIC INSERTION OF SLOT INSULATIONS OR ARMATURES OF ELECTRICAL MACHINES The present invention relates to a machine for the automatic insertion of prefabricated slot insulations and- /or cover caps or armature insulations into stators or armatures of electric machines, in which the workpiece to be equipped is held by a receiver, which is rotatable stepwise as part of an index plate.

The construction of such machines will therefore be determined primarily by the desire to obtain, at correspondingly little expense for tool costs, for one type of stator a sufficient output with short resetting times to a different type.

The automatic insulating machines which are already known, however, require improvement with respect to the said demands. This is particularly due to the fact, that the insulation parts must here be pushed through by the receiver for the workpiece to be equipped, i. e., the receiver part for the stator must have as many slots as the stator itself, since the inserting tool is arranged at the bottom.'This has the result, that the insertion of the insulation strips must be effected through the surface of the receiver part. The latter must therefore be provided with a rim of passage openings corresponding to the slot pitch of the workpiece to be fitted, which openings must be of the samecross-section, so that the insulating strip can be pushed through and into the slots of the workpiece by the tool without obstacle. Furthermore, the receiving part here can be used only fora given diameter of the slot pitch circle in the workpiece and also only for a given size slot. Because of these properties, a correspondingly complicated construction of the known automatic insulating machines results which has a detrimental effect on the cost price as dial distance from the axis of rotation thereof,in which connection in each case one receiver withthe workpiece is directly below the insertion tool, and the insulating strips to be inserted can be inserted as individual pieces in the operating cycle of the index plate by the tool, preferably from above.

In this arrangement the passage openings in the stator receiver are eliminated. Furthermore, the same insertion tools can be used for the same slot shape for different workpiece diameters. Since the tool is exposed on top, the resetting is very simplified and the resetting times are very short.

A further advantage with respect to rational operation results in accordance with the present invention by such an arrangement of the step-by-step mechanism for the-drive of the index plate, that in each case only the index plate which is beneath the insertion tool is driven, so that the other, stationary receiver can be provided with the workpiece which is to be equipped.

In the interest of undisturbed automatic operation the invention makes still another proposal in accordance with which the receiver is made axially displaceable, the displacement being controllable in such a manner that the insulation strips upon the insertion can be passed without spacing into the slot of the workpiece, and that after termination of an insertion process, the workpiece is moved back into a distance from the insertion tool, which is necessary for the unimpeded further movement of the workpiece.

By this measure the result is obtained, that despite a protruding edge of the workpiece or a protruding of the insulating strip caused by the flange edge, a further rotation of the workpiece or a swinging out of the sphere of the insertion tool is possible. In the case of recast stators, the receiver is moved back a correspondingly larger path before the swinging.

In order to be able to insert also cover slides or armature insulations instead of slot insulation strips into the slots of the workpiece in accordance with the same principle and with the same means, the insertion tool is, in accordance with the present invention, displaceable into a diametrical position transverse to the axis of rotation of the receiver.

In this way the fact is taken into account in a simple fashion, that the cover slides which are also stamped U-shaped must be inserted into the slots of the workpiece in such a manner, that their closed side faces towards the outside.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in the following detailed description,

the present invention will be clearly understood in con-- nection with the accompanying drawing, in which: FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the machine; and FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, the circular indexing 7 table 2 is swingably supported (arrow B-B) around an axis A on a base 1. This table 2 bears two index plates 3 and 4, each of which is provided on its periphery with an indexing gear rim 5. The pitch of these gear rims 5 corresponds to the pitch of the slot rims 6 in the workpiece 7, 8 which in the present example is shown as stator of an electrical machine.

Each-index plate 3, 4 is provided with a receiver 9 for the workpieces 7, 8, which is connected fixed for rotation with the index plates 3and 4, respectively, and can carry out controlled movements (arrow CC) in the direction of its axis of rotation.

The insertion tool 10 is arranged over the workpieces 7, 8 and provided with an insertion ram 11 which carries out controlled movements in the direction indicated by the arrows DD and in this connection pushes the insulating strips into the slots 6 through the mouthpiece l2.

The insertion tool 10 can be displaced transversely in the direction indicated by the arrows E-E, so that it can be brought into a diametrical position with respect to the axis of the workpiece (for instance 8) which is below the tool 10. v

The drive and control elements for the individual functional parts are not shown in the drawing, since they are known per se and do not form a part of the present invention.

In order to explain the manner of operation, it will be assumed that the workpiece 8 has been brought into its receiving position, shown in dashed-dotted lines, in which the mouthpiece l2 rests without spacing against the tool, for instance a stator having twelve slots. The

receiver 9 for the other workpiece 7 has been brought into its lower end position where it stops and can be provided with the workpiece 7 which is to be equipped.

During the equipping of the workpiece 8, the index plate is turned step-by-step in synchronism with the insertion tool by a stepping mechanism (not shown), the pawl of which cooperates with the stepping gear rim 5. In this connection, after each insertion, the receiver 9 together with the workpiece moves downward an amount which is sufficient to bring the protruding flanged edge of the insulating strip completely out of the too].

When all twelve slots 6 are provided with insulating strips, the receiver 9 together with the stator 8 moves further downward, so that a possibly protruding stator edge (for instance in this case of recast stators) does not impede the following swinging motion of the circular indexing table 2 in the direction indicated by the arrows B.

By this swinging movement which amounts to 180 in the case of two receivers, the stator 7 is now brought into its equipping position below the insertion tool 10, 11, 12, whereupon the receiver 9 moves upward until the stator 7 or the corresponding slot opening rests directly against the mouth-piece 12, and the equipping process described can start again. As already mentioned, during this, the other outwardly swung, stationary receiver 9 can be provided with a new workpiece.

As can be noted from the drawing and specification, the insertion tool 10 cooperates directly with the receiver 9 and its workpiece 7 or 8, respectively, so that no passage openings are any longer necessary in the stator-receiver.

The flanging, stamping and cutting station (not shown) which is connected with the insertion tool can operate also in known manner automatically, so that, for instance, cover slides, armature insulations and special insulations can also be made.

The vertical arrangement of the machine shown is not absolutely necessary, since the machine, without any impairment in its functions, can also be arranged horizontally. This has the additional advantage that even in the case of heavy and large stators, the receiving of the stationary workpiece to be equipped can take place during the insertion of the insulation parts into the other workpiece. In the case of stators which can have a total weight of 200 kg and more, the removing and placing on of the stator requires a large amount of time, which is dispensed with in the arrangement according to the present invention, since during the equipping of the one stator, the other can be placed on or removed. In this way the purchase cost of such a machine becomes for the first time economical.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A machine for the automatic insertion of prefabri cated slot insulations or cover caps or armature insulations into stators or armatures or electrical machines comprising at least two receivers holding a workpiece to be equipped,

said receivers being rotatable in stepwise fashion as I part of an index plate, and arranged diametrically on a movable circularindexing table and at the same radial distance from its axis of rotation,

one of said receivers with said workpiece being disposed directly below said insertion tool, and

said insulating strips, to be inserted, being insertable as individual pieces in synchronism with said index place by said tool.

2. The machine, as set forth in claim 1, which in-.

cludes an arrangement of said step-by-step indexing mechanism for the drive of said index plate, that in each case only said index plate which is beneath said insertion tool is driven,

so that said other receiver which is stationary can be provided with said workpiece to be equipped.

3. The machine, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said receivers are axially displaceable, and

said displacement being controllable such, that said insulation strips upon insertion can pass without spacing into said slot of said workpiece, and upon completion of said insertion procedure, said workpiece is moved back into a distance from said inser tion tool required for the unimpeded further movement of said workpiece.

4. The machine, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said insertion tool is displaceably transversely to the axis of rotation of said receiver into a diametrical position. 

1. A machine for the automatic insertion of prefabricated slot insulations or cover caps or armature insulations into stators or armatures or electrical machines comprising at least two receivers holding a workpiece to be equipped, said receivers being rotatable in stepwise fashion as part of an index plate, and arranged diametrically on a movable circular indexing table and at the same radial distance from its axis of rotation, one of said receivers with said workpiece being disposed directly below said insertion tool, and said insulating strips, to be inserted, being insertable as individual pieces in synchronism with said index place by said tool.
 2. The machine, as set forth in claim 1, which includes an arrangement of said step-by-step indexing mechanism for the drive of said index plate, that in each case only said index plate which is beneath said insertion tool is driven, so that said other receiver which is stationary can be provided with said workpiece to be equipped.
 3. The machine, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said receivers are axially displaceable, and said displacement being controllable such, that said insulation strips upon insertion can pass without spacing into said slot of said workpiece, and upon completion of said insertion procedure, said workpiece is moved back into a distance from said insertion tool required for the unimpeded further movement of said workpiece.
 4. The machine, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said insertion tool is displaceably transversely to the axis of rotation of said receiver into a diametrical position. 